Summer's a good time to teach children more household skills on the path to assuming adult responsibilities. Everyone's a little more relaxed. The pressure is off to get to school in clean clothes with books, snack, lunch, homework, gym clothes. If you don't make it to the beach at a specific time it's okay. One of the most fun areas for developing household skills centers around food. If you have a tradition that the cook doesn't have to do the dishes, children really love it when they become the cook and parents do the dishes! We think starting with snacks and moving up to entire meals is a great idea.

Does this sound delicious or what!!

An Edible Veggie Diorama -for full spectrum vitamins and live enzymes; Nori-Honey-Nut Rolls -seaweed is an excellent source of minerals; Sprouted Trail Mix -sprouting releases vital nutrients and live enzymes making the nut proteins more digestible and nutrients more available to the body; Cultured Apricot Butter on Sprouted Crackers -butter (from open pasture cows) is very nourishing for growing children. These are healthful snacks you and your children can learn to make with two of our local nutritionist/chefs, Kelly Dearie and Julianne Boyajian.

Kelly and Julianne are teaching this parent & kid Organic Snacks class that sounds just too delicious! Imagine these snacks in your lunchbox! When the class is completed all participants will take home a Himalayan Salt Crystal which contains all the trace minerals and elements the body needs. Participants will also receive a handout with additional healthy lunch tips and recipes. To take this class, visit The Culinary Center of Santa Cruz.

Would you like to learn more about how to support children's learning, behavior, and health through optimum nutrition? Here’s a site recommended by Kelly and Julianne: http://www.nourishingourchildren.org

Make the Calendar Work for You!!

We have created several new categories on the Annual Events Calendar activities - just select that category and click on "search". Did you know that you can sort the calendar by category or specific date? Let's say you want a list of FREE activities, story times, farmers' markets, family events or teen activities - just select that category and click on "search." It's that easy! When you find an activity you like click on Parent Planner. You'll have a collection of favorite places to go which you can email to yourself and a friend.

Dogs and People, Especially Little People

We want our dogs to be well behaved around children and we work with them on their social skills. It's a two way street. Dog owners appreciate parents who teach their children about how to approach (or not) dogs. Most of us with dogs are sensitive to little ones who are often the same height as our furry friends. There is an organization called KADIE, Kids and Dogs Interactive Education, dedicated to teaching us how to safely interact with dogs, and particularly, what to teach the children. See the calendar below to learn about a visit to Santa Cruz from the KADIE founder, Cecelia Saleme.

KADIE - Kids And Dogs Interactive Education is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation dedicated to reducing the number of dog bites, particularly to children, by educating them as to the safest ways to approach and interact with dogs, as well as to avoid interaction with unknown dogs.

Through the development of seminars and related teaching materials, KADIE's aim is to teach parents, educators, healthcare professionals, insurance organizations and others, how to safely interact with dogs, and particularly, what to teach the children.

7/30 Mesa Village Park Carnival, Barbeque, followed by carnival booths, crafts, face painting and games and booths with information.

7/30-8/4 Tall Ships in Monterey HarborThe Lynx and The Bounty arrive July 30 and depart Aug. 4. The Lynx is an interpretation of the privateers that evaded the British naval fleet and blockaded American ports in the early 1800s. The Bounty was built for the film "Mutiny on the Bounty" with Marlon Brando in 1960 and also appeared in "Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest." Visit onboard or sign up for a sail.

8/1 Free 1st Friday: Museum of Art & History, Front St, Santa Cruz, From the Byways to the Highways - Images by Rondal Partidge of California from 1936 to 1969. Thru Sep 7. Images by Rondal Partidge of California, from 1936-1969. Partidge has been photographing for over 85 years.

8/2 & 3 11am or 2pm Redwood Loop Trail Naturalist Guided Walk, On this easy, level, half-mile walk you will learn astonishing facts about the ancient redwood environment and see the tallest, most rare and most fascinating trees in BigBasin. Park docent-interpretive naturalists engage young and old alike with colorful park history, redwood reproduction and animal stories as you explore the mysteries of the forest.

Meet the Mother of the Forest, the Father of the Forest, the Santa Clara, Animal and Chimney Trees, and more. Don't miss this informative walk on this historic trail! One hour. Stroller and wheelchair accessible.

8/3 12-3pm A "Dog Show with a Twist" Open to all dogs, the competitions are: Best Dressed, Best Kisser, Best Underbite, Best Name, Longest Nose, Best Trick, Best Singer, Oldest Dog, Biggest Dog, Smallest Dog, Best Smile and Owner/Dog Look-a-Like. "Who's Doggy are You?" is a contest for couples to see whom their dog will choose. Winners will receive prizes. Competitions are $2 each entry. Sign-ups will be at the event. The Swift Street Courtyard merchants will be hosting a Treasure Hunt. Players will collect a token from each participating shop to be entered in a drawing for a basket full of merchandise donated by the merchants. Cecelia Saleme from KADIE (Kids and Dogs Interactive Education) will present her puppet show for kids to help them understand how to approach and interact with dogs. For those who wish they had a dog, the SPCA will be bringing adoptable dogs.

I’m writing this column to start fights between husbands and wives, at least that’s what the husband of one of my friends claimed. An informal survey of friends verified what social science research confirmed about what goes on in the average American home. Any way you measure it..... read more

Kumon is not a "quick fix." It is a systematic approach to giving your child the tools to succeed in every aspect --and at every stage-- of school. Come visit us before school starts to find out how Kumon can make your child a better learner.

a wacky and whimsical circus spectacular where dogs fly, Asian Elephants stomp, hop, and groove and one courageous man stands eye to eye with a pack of powerful Bengal tigers. Extraordinary aerial acts fill the arena sky with a rare double-decker trapeze and Chinese acrobats propelling through the air. And with the audience participation, this circus really goes Over The Top. HP Pavilion, San Jose, Aug. 20 - 24

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